My 6 month old Sanyo HD1 developed the black screen issue yesterday and since I mail ordered it from Japan I'm sure that Sanyo UK won't honour the warranty. I'm going to try and find somewhere that will repair it today but if that fails I want to try and repair this thing myself...

Looking at the other threads it seems that the problem is caused by the lens mechanism popping off its mountings. Can anyone confirm this? Has anyone tried fixing this themselves? And how hard is it to disassemble the HD1?

I thought the zoom lens issue was a mechanical problem that affected a particular batch back in January or so. I haven't noticed anywhere where this is specifically associated with the failure of the OLED. Can you point us at the threads you are thinking of? Since mine has a 3 year warranty, I can't say I'm that keen on taking it apart. (Unusual for me!!)

I thought the zoom lens issue was a mechanical problem that affected a particular batch back in January or so. I haven't noticed anywhere where this is specifically associated with the failure of the OLED. Can you point us at the threads you are thinking of? Since mine has a 3 year warranty, I can't say I'm that keen on taking it apart. (Unusual for me!!)

The OLED doesn't fail - you can still see the info such as recording time remaining etc. However, you can't see anything in the display apart from this info. Recordings turn out black as well.

The OLED doesn't fail - you can still see the info such as recording time remaining etc. However, you can't see anything in the display apart from this info. Recordings turn out black as well.

It must unfortunately be something deep down in the electronics or sensor itself that's dead then..... I suppose it could be dodgy intercomponent connectors, but it would be nicer to get them to fix it. I would do as Graham Jones has suggested.

What we really need is a Sanyo contact in a country like Australia, where there seems to be some sort of rule that service manuals must be made public, so we can get hold of some information.

For my money, it's the lens mechanism because that's all Sanyo have said when fellow posters (here and on steve's forums) have managed to get them to say anything. I don't have the exact threads, but I believe I've read it twice in separate places.

I don't think the zoom still moving when pressed contradicts that theory!

However, I would be reluctant to speculate in more detail or crack the thing open.

For my money, it's the lens mechanism because that's all Sanyo have said when fellow posters (here and on steve's forums) have managed to get them to say anything. I don't have the exact threads, but I believe I've read it twice in separate places.

I don't think the zoom still moving when pressed contradicts that theory!

However, I would be reluctant to speculate in more detail or crack the thing open.

I would have thought that the only way I could see the zoom causing a black screen is if the ccd dropped out of the assembly!! But like you I'm not prepared to pull it apart while it still works.
Come to think of it I do remember some reports in the early days of the images being out of focus on one side compared to the other. Maybe the chip does have a somewhat dubious mount!

My HD1 is presently in for the black screen issue. It was produced in February. The answer I got was that a new lens assembly has been ordered for it.

Given that the lens assembly was visibly moving, I would assume it has to do with a CCD connection or mount failure. Add to this the fact that some report tapping is a temporary fix and the arguement supporting a defective CCD connection appears stonger. I'm thinking it could be a failing ground wire that the CCD depends on. Cold solder joints in monitors fail in the same way and tapping them serves as a temporary solution.

On my first unit that experienced this black screen issue lightly "tapping" it on a hard surface temporarily remedied the problem.

This implies to me a MECHINCAL failing not a programming failure.

Also eventually the black screen problem seemed to go away but a new one ensued (causing me to have to return it) whereas even on ISO 1600 it was barely usable even in broad daylight. (it was as if its was too dark)

off course by then it was no use trying to take pictures. I will try to find some to post just so you can see how funky it got.

For the record, mine came down with this dreaded disease after 4.5 months of light use. I purchased from Prestige so I was expecting an issue to repair. Called Sanyo and they didn't bat an eye when I told them where purchased.
Told me where to send for repair. Took 3 weeks to get it back but is working normally again. The only caveat is the paperwork says the repair is only warrentied for 60/30 days. Hope this lense assembly is a re-engineered part.

anyone getting black screen problem, please look into the lens to check if the shutter is stuck. If you can see a little black hole (around 1-2mm diameter), that means it's open.
HD1's shutter would be completely closed when power off, opening in shooting mode.